New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 14:15
15Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.
1 Corinthians 14:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
- New International Version (NIV)So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
- English Standard Version (ESV)What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
- New King James Version (NKJV)What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Context of 1 Corinthians 14:15
13So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 14For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 16For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? 17You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 141 Corinthians 14:15 word by word
τί οὖν ἐστιν; προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ· ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- is itεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- I will prayπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
- with the spiritὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- with the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- andδέde · thenG1161
- with the understandingνοῦςnous · mindG3563
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- I will singψάλλωpsallō · to sing praiseG5567
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:15
- 1 Corinthians 10:19What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods?
- Romans 3:5“But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.)
- Romans 8:31What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
- Philippians 1:18But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.
- 1 Corinthians 14:19But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
- John 4:23But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
- Romans 1:9God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
- Ephesians 5:17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
- Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
- Colossians 3:16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
- Jude 1:20But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,
- Psalms 47:7For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm.
- Romans 12:1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:15
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15What is it then? - What shall I do? What is the proper course for me to pursue? What is my practice and my desire; see the same form of expression in Romans 3:9, and Romans 6:15. It indicates the “conclusion” to which the reasoning had conducted him, or the course which he would pursue in view of all the circumstances of the case. I will pray with the spirit - I will endeavor to “blend” all the advantages which can be derived from prayer; I will “unite”…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men's souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. This is proving himself the servant of Christ. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. Christians should be like children, void of guile and malice; yet they should not be unskilful as to the word of righteousness, but only as…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17It is better to worship with both spirit and understandable words. Public worship should bless God and others. Speaking in tongues without interpretation glorifies God and helps the speaker (14:4), but it does not help others present. say “Amen” to your thanksgiving: Amen was the traditional response to a prayer.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. What is it then?--What is my determination thereupon? and--rather as Greek, "but"; I will not only pray with my spirit, which (1Co 14:14) might leave the understanding unedified, BUT with the understanding also [Alford and Ellicott]. pray with the understanding also--and, by inference, I will keep silence altogether if I cannot pray with the understanding (so as to make myself understood by others). A prescient warning, mutatis mutandis, against the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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